WSP02516

• File Number: 8141
• Description: Fryingpan-Arkansas Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 7/1/1965
• Author: US DoI BoR
• Title: Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Information Bulletin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Project Overview

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UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT Of THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation, Region 7
Fryingpan-Arkansas Project
Pueblo, Colorado

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,RYINGPAN-ARKANSAS PROJECT
INFORMATION BULLETIN

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LOCATION

The Fryingpan-Arkansas froject consists of two distinct areas. They
are separated by the Continer.tal Divido, which in many areas exceeds an alti-
tude of 12,000 feet. Western Slope water diversion ~ill be collected from
the Fryingpan and Hunter Creek ~atersheds in the Roaring Fork River Basin of
the Colorado River drainag8. The diversion area is m8untainDUS and primitive.
It is located within the boundaries of the White River National Forest at
c levations above 10,000 feet.

The Eastern Slop" area of th" project is located in the Arkansas Piver
Valley. The headwaters of the Arkansas River originate above timberline in
the high mountainous area near Leadville. The river then fl()WS south an~
1?E13t successiv+21y thrOUGh c3.nyons uno foothills to th,"? c'::nt1j rOlling high
l' ~_;:Jirls or '~ast':.:rn Colorado. Tile i\rK.J.;1:::'2.S Ei \fcr Lj,J:;;in in Col("r".J,J() cOinprises
aL ar'2cl (,f 2G>>150 squ2re wiles, Of' approximately (me-fourth of the tota.l
:lTf?.'3 I)f the state.

HISTORY

The project area east of the Rocky Mountains was a part of the Louisiana
Purehase. The balance of the project area was claimed by Te"as following the
',..jar j.,'i th Hexico, but these claims wepe relinquished in 1845 when Texas I,.;as
annexed by the Union.

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The ArkiJ.nsas River Sasin was first explored by the Spanish from 1760 to
1780. The first official exploration by the Unit'eo States ,<as m"de in 1806
by Lt. Zebulon pike. Later e:<l'lorations "'ere directed by Captain John C.
Fr>emont and Captain John W. Gunnison. Thr= fi!'st permanent settlements Here
not established until ,:;:.ftE:r th<3 d.iscovGr'~' or L'.old in 1859. In the ensuine
years, a large influ:-: of s~ttlers to the Ark"nsas Valley occurred. Most were
eold seekers of the "Pikes Peak or Bust" cold rush. A few were Successful
in their search, hal-lever, 1;10St of them "busted". Rathep tha.n return to the
cast in defeat, ffi.:my t.ook up [2rmiJlt,:: in the l:rkan32s River Valley. Permanent
settlements were established a.nd the era. of irrigJ.tion development began.

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The second major development in the valley w~s the introduction of
cattle. In 1862, John I;. Po\;ers im?orted 100 h""o of ciittle into the valley.
Eecause of his Success in the cattle busine3s, l:=Jrge herds Here imported from
Texas. By the end of October 1870, over 3D ,000 head ot Texas cattle were in
the Arkansas region and 10,000 were reported to have been driven into Pueblo
in the first ten days of November 1870.

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